Children's Doctor, Society Bride. Joanna Neil

They treated him with respect, as though he was someone in authority, someone who had the power to make sweeping changes.

      She studied him thoughtfully for a moment or two. ‘I’ve been here at the hospital for a number of years,’ she added. ‘Even so, I don’t recall seeing your name on the list of physicians working at the hospital, but perhaps that’s because you’ve been away.’

      He nodded. ‘I’ve been studying different management systems in Europe for the last year. Before that, I was one of the executives at the Royal Forest Hospital. Still am, for that matter, but I tend to divide my time between there and here. I still do hands-on medicine, but to a much lesser degree. I found that I could make more of a difference by being part of the management system.’

      Surely he was very young to have reached the pinnacle of his career so soon? She sent him a sceptical look. ‘You opted out,’ she said.

      His mouth twisted. ‘I don’t see it that way.’

      She might have answered him, but her bleeper went off just then and she excused herself to make a call from her mobile phone. ‘Hello, Jenny,’ she said. ‘Do you have some news for me?’

      ‘I do. Millie’s results are back from radiology, and the report says that there is a diaphragmatic hernia which has allowed part of the child’s intestine to push through to the chest cavity.’

      ‘Oh, dear. No wonder the poor child is suffering. She’ll have to go for surgery to have that put right. Put out a call for Mr Simons, will you, and see if he can add her to this afternoon’s theatre list. I’ll come back right away. I’d better explain things to the mother. In the meantime, we need to make sure Millie’s fit to be operated on.’

      ‘I’ll do that. Thanks, Louise.’

      She cut the call and looked around, to see that James was still there across the table from her. He finished off his coffee and said quietly, ‘Problems?’

      ‘A toddler who needs urgent surgery,’ she told him. ‘I’ll have to go back down to paediatric A&E to make sure that everything’s in order.’

      ‘You won’t be coming back to the meeting?’

      ‘I doubt it,’ she said, slanting him a direct glance. ‘Some of us have to deal with the sufferings of patients up-front. Fortunately for them, there are still doctors who care enough for their well-being to keep on with the hands-on side of medicine. We leave it to others to move us about like chess pieces on a board.’

      She didn’t stay to witness his reaction to that, but she could feel his gaze boring into her spine as she walked away from him.